Concrete Prefabricated Panel House

A concrete prefabricated panel house is a type of building constructed primarily using prefabricated panels, which has specific characteristics, a development history, and a current status.

Characteristics

• Weak Earthquake Resistance: Assembled from prefabricated panels, these houses inherently lack robustness and toughness. They often feature a hollow design, with the quantity and distribution of steel bars being less scientific and reasonable compared to cast-in-place houses. During an earthquake, even slight vibrations can loosen the joints between floor panels, making it difficult for them to withstand impacts.
• Limited Service Life: Generally, the service life is about 30 - 50 years. Over time, issues such as wall cracks and ceiling leaks may arise. The originally sturdy structure becomes precarious, and many old prefabricated panel houses are identified as "dangerous buildings."
• Wall Cracks and Easy Water Leakage: On rainy days, it is common for heavy rain outside to be accompanied by light rain inside. The walls are mottled with numerous cracks, the floor deforms, windows leak, and the sound insulation effect is also poor.
• Poor Thermal Insulation: The thermal insulation performance is not ideal. In summer, the interior is hot, while in winter, cold air easily seeps in through gaps in the walls and edges of doors and windows. In extreme weather conditions, the indoor environment is greatly affected by the outdoor conditions.

Development History

Originating in the early 20th century, residential buildings constructed in China before 1985 often adopted this type of structure. In the 21st century, prefabricated components have regained attention due to their high production efficiency and good product quality. Domestically, research and application of prefabricated concrete joints and overall structures have been carried out one after another.

Current Status

With the development of building technology, cast-in-place concrete and prefabricated buildings are gradually replacing traditional prefabricated panel houses. Since 2022, China has implemented a policy of renovating old buildings, focusing on repairing and renovating prefabricated panel houses and only demolishing those that meet the criteria for dangerous buildings. Some regions have already started demolition work. However, there has also been development in the technology related to concrete prefabricated panel houses. Chinese companies' concrete "prefabricated houses" are closer to traditional living experiences and have high acceptance in the domestic market. In the first four months of 2026, enterprises in the Guangzhou Customs area exported movable houses worth 1.4 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 38.1%.